Tray for holding multiple cartons



April 9, 1968 w. H. BATES TRAY FOR HOLDING MULTIPLE CARTONS Filed Sept.

FIG. 4.

WARREN BATES ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofllice 3,377,016

Patented Apr. 9, 1968 1 2 3 377 016 flaps 14. Parallel with the end score lines 13, and at a TRAY FOR HOLDHQG MULTIPLE CARTONS distance therefrom equal to the width of the side panels Warren H, Bates, 7224 Bums, F worth, Tex 7 113 12, there are transverse cuts 15 which extend into the Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 464,720, Side panels, Where they curve, at 16, and then extend di- June 17, 1965. This application Sept, 7, 1967, Ser. agonally along straight lines 17 to the intersections of No. 666,121 score lines 11 and 13. The last described transverse cuts 1 (Ilaim. (Cl. 22931) 15 define the end panels 18 of the tray and the remaining connecting cuts define tabs 19 which are subsequently secured to the side walls 12. That area of the blank 10 Within the intersecting score lines 11 and 13 becomes the ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tray for holding multiple rectangular cartons, cans b ttom panel 20 of the tray. or bottles, and comprised of a single rectangular blank of The blanks 10 are fed into a conventional box making fiberboard or the like having score lines parallel with the machine of proper size where the first step is to fold the sides thereof, defining the side panels of the tray, a transend panels up and outwardly 180 degrees. At the same verse cut in said blank parallel with each end thereof and time h r inforcing flaps 14 are turned under the ends extending into the side panels, thence toward the end of Of the side panels 12 and by reason of the described the trays and then at an angle to the score lines. The pri- W dths f the flaps 14 and the end panels 18 there remary feature of the invention has to do with eliminating mains a t ansverse opening 21 near each end of the tray. b ll 1d at h corners f h tray Glue 22 is applied to the inner surfaces of the side pan- 2 els at the ends thereof, but stitching (not shown) may be used instead after the tray has been completely folded.

This invention has reference to a tray for holding mul- The Partially fofmen blank then Passes into the tiple units such as cartons, cans or bottles. The present lng head of the machine Where the plunger presses the application is a continuation in part of my copending apbottom Panel between fofnnng Platnn Part Of this plication Ser. No. 464,720, filed June 17, 1965, now 25 tion is shown in FIGURE 3, and after the action is com- United States Patent No. 3,347,447, which issued Oct. Pleted the y is fully formed as h wn in FIGURE 4.

17 19 7 The invention is not limited to the exemplary construc- While the invention of my copending application is n herein Shown and described, but y be made in capable of serving its intended purpose, the present con- Various Way$ Withh1 the Scope of the pp struction eliminates the bellows fold, thereby siniplify- 3O is al disi ing the assembly operations. In the case of the first con- In a y made from a Single rectangular blank 0f struction, Patent No. 3,347,447, it was necessary to have bendable Sheet material, said blank being comprised of a i l h i an automatic b ki hi first score lines extending the full length thereof parallel wherein the end and side panels had to be folded at the with the blank Side$ andnefining the Width of Side P same time. To those versed in the art it is apparent that 6 hansvnfse Cuts In Said blank Parallel With the ends the elimination of the bellows permits the use of simthereof and defining the pp edges of end P Said plified equipment, thus effecting a substantial saving to transverse cuts extending into the defined side panels the tray manufacturer. Like the first invention, the preswldths, Second Score lines extending Width of Said ent construction effects a saving of material in that the blnnk Parallel f with the ends thereof and intersecting blank is only slightly longer than the resulting tray. 40 vsald Score n i diagonal Cuts extending from t An object f the invention is to provide a tray f intersections of said score lines to the ends of said transfib paper or othgr bahdable Sheet material Whemin verse cuts, the areas of said blank between said transverse transverse cuts become the end panels and wherein the cuts and n Second score hnes defining endpanels d the Side and end panels may be f ld d separately thus areas of sand blank between the ends thereof and said secmitting the use of simplified equipment for manufactur- 0nd SCOT? lines fiefinlng reinforcing p the areas ihg the trays, 1 wardly or the said first score lines at the ends of said end A particular object is to eliminate bellows folds in trays Panels definlng hlnged the area between aid first whereby conventional box making machines may be used and Second SCOT? llnfas dflfinlng a bottom P the H- When making trays according to the invention. structlon wherein said side and end panels are perpen- Another object in addition to the foregoing is to d1cu1ar to said bottom panel along said first and second provide a tray which is only slightly less in length than score lines 531d remforqms p are Positioned nea h the blank f which it is made thereby ff ti a the lower surface of said bottom panel and extend upsavihg of material. wardly over the outer areas of said side panels at the These and other objects of the invention will become ends thereof and means attachlng Said tabs t0 Said side apparent from the following description and the ac- Panelscornpanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a blank for mak- References Clted ing a tray according to the invention. UNITED STATES PATENTS FIGURE 2 is a broken perspective view similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the first fold ng p r i n #3 7223 3x32; 229-31 FIGURE 3 is a broken perspective of a corner of the 2:551 1944 L k ff 229 31 tray in a partly assembled p i i and 2,351,528 6/1944 Lupton 2 29 2s X FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the completed 2,375,631 5/1945 DeVillard 229 2s X tray.

Blanks 10 as illustrated in FIGURE 1 are formed by ig fig'gi 313;? $355,3 1, 33:32 steel rule cutting dies and creasing dies which are well :5 :579 7 1951 Ringler 229 37 X known to the art. There are score lines 11 parallel with 9 42 5 1951 Glaser 29 2g the SldCS of the blank 10 whi h extend the length there- 3,347,447 10/1967 Bates 229-31 of and define the side panels 12 of the tray to be formed,

and there are score lines 13 parallel with the ends of the DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. blank and extend thereacross which define reinforcing 

